Bird flu outbreak in Benton County 'is a concern', Gov. Walz says
MORRINSVILLE, NEW ZEALAND - APRIL 18: A herd of cows are seen through the lush green grass at a dairy farm on April 18, 2012 in Morrinsville, New Zealand. (Photo by Sandra Mu/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
BENTON COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addressed the recent bird flu outbreak detected in Benton County dairy cows last weekend.
During a remote interview from France, where the governor is attending D-Day anniversary celebrations, he acknowledged the news of bird flu jumping to dairy cows in Benton County "is a concern."
The governor said he would discuss the issue during a meeting with United States Sec. Secretary Of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Friday and acknowledged the "good partners with the USDA."
READ MORE: Bird flu detected in Benton County dairy cows
Minnesota state officials say they are still working to determine where the exposure that caused the outbreak may have come from and that it could take "a couple weeks to document a hypothesis."
However, a state epidemiological officer said there were no "immediate red flags" when they visited the site of the outbreak.
READ MORE: Bird flu virus found in milk but FDA says it's safe to drink
State officials say there has also been a rise in poultry cases with eight reported sites in Minnesota being confirmed positive in the month of May. Another case of bird flu was detected in a Meeker County turkey flock late last year.
Any updates on new detections can be found on the Minnesota Board of Animal Health's website, in addition to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
READ MORE: Bird flu in cows: 1 in 5 pasteurized milk samples had traces of virus, FDA says
Farmers can also request PPE from the Minnesota Department of Health or call the organization at 651-201-5414 to ask any questions about the disease.